“Can you explain what happened?”
The paramedics were loading Ari onto a stretcher.
“I have to go with them to the hospital,” I said.
“I’m afraid we’re going to need information first before we let you do that.”
“We can talk at the hospital. He needs me.”
“And we need you to explain what happened here in as much detail as you can, or we can take you down to the station and question you there.”
“I don’t know everything that happened.”
“That’s okay. Just tell us what you saw.”
“I came home through the garage and I heard Ari scream. When I came here, I-I saw him slicing that knife into Ari’s back while-while—”
“While what?”
“He was trying to rape him.” I gulped in a deep breath. “There was so much blood. I shot him.”
“You shot him twice.”
“I had to make sure he couldn’t hurt him anymore.”
The cop frowned at me. “And the deceased on the couch?”
“His name’s Howard. That’s all I know. He was good friends with Ari, and they spent the day together. I don’t know what happened. He was already dead when I got here.”
“Do you know why Ari was attacked?”
I shrugged. “It’s not the first time he’s hurt him. Ari lived with him for a while, and he abused him, so he ran away. Ken came back two weeks ago and found him.”
“Was any of this reported to substantiate your claim?”
“I don’t think so. We didn’t think he would do this. I got a security system in the house. I thought we’d be safe.”
“What’s your relationship to Ari?”
I swallowed hard. “We live together.”
“As in roommates?”
“No, he’s my boyfriend.”
Detective Cooper raised his eyebrow. “Is that all?”
“He’s my ex-wife’s son. We reconnected when he came back to town a couple of months ago.”
He asked me a few more questions, which culminated in taking Anne’s number. When he finally allowed me to leave, it was with an ominous warning not to leave town.
During the drive, I trembled so badly it was a wonder I got to the hospital in one piece. I parked as close to the entrance as possible. Thankfully, I hadn’t had to lie to any of the questions he’d asked, and I’d just need to urge Ari to tell the truth as well. It didn’t matter what else Ari had done wrong. This case was about Howard’s death, Ari being wounded, and me killing Ken.
Oh dear god, I killed a man.
I leaned my forehead against the steering wheel and gulped several breaths into my lungs to calm down. Now wasn’t the time to freak out. Ari needed me, and Ken hadn’t been innocent in all this. No one could blame me for defending Ari as I’d done. I was well within my rights to protect the boy I loved.
When I felt steadier, I climbed out of the car and walked inside. It took me a while to locate Ari, and when I did, the doctor was in with him, so I had to wait. I fought the urge to pace and settled in a chair instead. I laid my hands on my shaking knees.